Relay system for measuring the time of the continuous flow of an electric current



May 24, 1938. Y, wATANABE 2,118,424

RELAY SYSTEM FOR MEASURING THE TIME OF THE CONTINUOUS FLOW OF AN ELECTRIC CURRENT Filed Jan. 10, 1936 Patented May 24, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RELAY SYSTEM FOR MEASURING THE TDIE OF THE CONTINUOUS FLOW OF AN ELEC- TRIC CURRENT Yoshito Watanabe, Kinukake-cho, Suma-kn, Kobe, Japan In Japan 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to a relay system for measuring the time of the flow of an electric current, which comprises a primary relay series consisting of many time-limit relays operating 5 one by one, a secondary relay series consisting of many relays operating successively to close their respective controlling circuits and a master relay operating throughout the period of the flow oi an electric current, the operation 'of the pri- 0 mary relay series being continued circularly during the operation of the master relay and the relays oi. the secondary series being operated successively one by one at every circulation of the operation of the primary relay series. The object of this invention is to examine whether an incoming electric signal has the correct lasting time or not, by making the desired operating circuit responsive to an electric current flowing continuously for a certain. time by a relay system and thus controlling the same, especially by making the master relay responsive to a series 0! signal current or waves transmitted continuously at a certain time interval and thus operating the primary relay series circularly.

Referring to the appended drawing,

Figure 1 shows the electrical connection of the relay system according to this invention and Figure 2, its modification.

In the drawing, for the sake of brevity and clearness all relays of the same character are represented by the same notations and also the contacts of the relays having the same operation are denoted by the same numerals.

In an example of performing this invention shown in Figure 1, a, b, c, d and e are the relays of the primary series each having a certain timelimit for its operation, the relay a having closed and open contacts 6 and 3; each of the relays b and 0, closed contact 2 and open contacts I, 3; 40 the relay d, closed contacts 2, 4 and open contacts I, 3 and also the relay e, closed contact 5 and open contacts I, 4, when they do not operate.

A, B, C, D and E are the instantaneous relays of the secondary series adapted for opening the contacts I, 3 and S and closing the contacts 2 and 8 when In an inoperative state. E lacks the contact 3. g is the contact of the master relay. In this example, it has its opening and closing operations controlled by an instantaneous relay 1. R is a rheostat for adjusting the timelimits of the primary relays properly by regulating their voltages and Ba is an electric source. Now, if the relay 1 operates to close the contact g, the relay a is energized through the contacts 2 of 5 each of the relays d, c and b to operate at its June 8, 1935 time limit and close its contact 3 to energize the relay b. Consequently, said relay b is operated at its time limit to close its contacts I and I and open 2, thus maintaining its operation at the contact I and energizing the relay c at the contact 3 of the relay b. On the other hand it opens the circuit of the relay a at the contact 2 and resets said relay. Next, the relay 0 operates at its time limit to energize the next relay d in the similar manner to that described above and resets the relay b operated before it. The relay d closes its contacts I and 3 and opens 2 and 4 at its time limit. Then, at the open contact 2 of the relay d it opens the circuit of the relay 0 and resets said relay. At the closed contact 3 of the 1 relay d it energizes the last relay e, so that the latter operates at its time limit and opens its contact 5, thus cutting of! a current which passes through the relay d. Then, the contacts 2 and 4 of the relay d are reclosed and by means of the contact 2 of said relay d the first relay a will be energized. When the relay e operates, the relay A of the secondary relay series is energized instantaneously by the contact 4 of the relay e and the already-closed contact 4 of the relay d and thus is operated. When said relay A is operated, firstly a holding circuit is formed by its contact I and then the contact 2 is opened. Further, when the contact 3 of the relay A has been closed and then the time-limit relay series a, b, c, d and e have completed the operation successively, the relay B is operated, whereupon its contact 8 is opened to reset the relay A.

Every time upon completion of the circulation of the operation of the primary relay series, the relays C, D and E operate in turn in the above manner and also B, C and D are reset. When one circulation of the operation of the primary relay series has completed at the time of the operation of the last one E of the secondary relay series, said relay E continues its operation, while the relay A is operated. The time may be thereafter measured by the present system until B and C operate.

Each relay of the secondary series is provided with a contact S which is connected with an indicating or recording apparatus and which is adapted to be closed when the corresponding relay operates. The last relay E of the secondary series is not given the continuity of operation, so that the operation of this series may be repeated many times, beginning with A. Further, by providing more than the tertiary relay series, associating them with the operation of the relay E III and operating them successively it is possible to measure a comparatively long time.

Figure 2 shows the other example of perform-- ing this invention.

In this system, two last relays e e of the primary series are operated alternately. That is to say, either the relay e or e is operated according to whether the number of the circulation of such operation is cardinal or even and then the operation of the relays of this series is repeated, beginning with a. For the purpose of operating said relays c and e alternately there is provided an auxiliary relay h.

En the drawing showing the above example, the numeral 9 denotes the contacts for maintaining the operation of their own relays; the contacts opening and closing the succeeding relays;

and 9, contacts for cutting on? the ciroi the already-=operated relays, the open and closed condition of each contact when the relays do not operate'lceing as shown in the chant.

"n this exam le, the operation of the reay ted to he energized by the arriving electric t or waves substantially the same with escrlbetl in tl-e preceding example. 'lfhat tly the relay a is energized to operate at limit, such operation extending to the relays e, c and cl successively till it reaches the relay c. When said relay e operates, its contact b is opened to reset the relay :2, on one -d closing its contacts 3 and d, and thus on rglsing first relay through the contact g, the resistance R. and contacts 2 of the relays c and b, while on the other hand the relay h is energized operated by the contact 3 of the relay c, when the contacts l and 3 of the relay it closed and 2 and "i opened, so that the relay e is reset by said open contact I and the relay h is held in the operating condition by its own contact l.

when the operation or the relays of the pri mary series reaches as far as the relay cl at the second circulation and closes its contacts 3 and I, the relay e is not energized, because the relay it has been continuing the operation and opened its contact 7 and closed 3. However, in its place the relay e is energized and maintains its own operation at its self-holding contact 3', while at the contact 9 of the relay e it cuts oil the circuits of the relays h and d to reset them. The relay c is adapted to be reset when the relay e operates next time and opens its contact I. Also, by the resetting of the relay d the relay 0 starts the third operation in the manner mentioned above. Thus, the relays e and e are operated alternately at the end of every circulation of the operation of the primary series.

As the operation of the relay e at the first circulation closes its contact 4, the first relay A of the primary series is energized to be operated. Then, at the second circulation the circuit of the next relay B is completed through the closed contact 4' of the relay e and the previouslyatlases closed contact 3 of the relay A, the similar operatiou being made with regard to the succeeding relays C, D and E. But in this example the relays of the secondary series when they operate, do not reset the previously-operated relays and as each relay is provided with a contact l for maintaining its operation, it continues to operate once when it has operated, till the whole series are reset. As in the preceding example, each re-- lay is provided with a contact S which is com nected with an indicating or recording apparatus.

Although in the above explanation the secondary relay series are instantaneously-operated ones, it need not be said that a satisfactory result may be obtained by giving them. certain time-limit as the L rirnary series.

Thus, in the present invention the primary series consisting of any desired number lays are operated successively and circularly by contlnuous electric current and th relays of the series of the bigger orders are operated successively at every circulation, such operations being all carried out electrically, so that however quickly the operations may be made by reduclng the time limit, there is no trouble to be caused. by the inertia of motion, nor does this system contain minute mechanical constructional parts also the lasting time of an electric current may be measured. accurately.

I claim:

1. Relay arrangement for measuring the duratlon or time of flow of an electric cur .t, con1- prising two groups of time relays, said ..rrangement having the distinctive feature that is provided with a primary relay series consi se eral retardation time relays entering into oper atlon consecutively, a secondary relayseries consisting of several relays which close their pertinent circuits one after the other and a main relay responding during the time during which the electrio current flows and the actuation of the primary relay series occurring in a cycle while the main relay responds and the relays of the secondary series entering into operatlon one after the other, one each during each actuation cycle of the primary relay series.

2. Relay arrangement in accordance with claim 1 having the distinctive feature that the primary relay series contains a pair of relays which responds at the closing of the operating cycle in connection with which the relays of this pair respond alternately during each cycle.

3. Relay arrangement in accordance with claim 1 having the distinctive feature that the primary relay series contains a pair of relays which responds at the closing of the operating cycle in connection with which the relays of this pair respond alternately during each cycle and the relays of the last pair of relays of the primary re.- lay series being actuated alternately by an auxiliary relay.

YOSHITO WATIHTABE. 

